Comments on: Crosswalk Lessons For Cole Near Ustick

By: TJ

TJ — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 04:06:26 +0000

I am fairly certain that I won’t know what to do if I confront one of these lights.

By: Jordan

Jordan — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:12:17 +0000

I try to be “green” and walk as much as possible. But crossing a street in Boise is a nighmare. Even the police won’t stop for you when you are in a crosswalk with a sign that says, “Stop When Occupied” and you are pointing to it. We need pedestrian laws enforced. We in Boise should be able to walk across the street.

By: The Boise Picayune

The Boise Picayune — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:10:56 +0000

In the movie “Starman” (1984 – Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen), an extraterrestrial learning to drive from observation said after speeding thru an intersection to beat the red light:

“Yes I’ve been watching… Red means stop, green means go, yellow means go faster”

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Wow. Was that REALLY 24 Years ago?!?!

By: Sam the sham

Sam the sham — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 06:51:49 +0000

In Boise any kind of yellow light means “speed up before it turns red” not slow down or caution. It’s a Boise tradition. I think they used to teach it that way in Driver’s Ed when they also taught us how to use a stick shift. Memory is a little fuzzy…

By: Gordon

Gordon — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:48:10 +0000

Sounds great.
But I doubt drivers will understand the alternating lights, like a RR crossing. (I didn’t know one could drive past the alternating lights at a RR crossing, so I wouldn’t have guessed it would be OK at a crosswalk.

Still, what’s wrong with the plain old three-level stop/go lights that every driver has seen millions of at cross streets all over the nation?

By: S

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:29:38 +0000

I’ve got a great view of this particular light from my office. It seems like it would work great if people understood it. The biggest problem I noticed when road workers were testing it today is that long after the pedestrian has crossed and the red lights are flashing people don’t realize they are allowed to drive through the light. People also stop when it starts flashing orange which is long before it actually switches to red.

I like the idea but it’s just too different from anything else on the road.

The new stretch of Ustick actually has THREE different types of pedestrian crosswalk lights

1. The orange lights on the ground (which I see people drive through everyday as they are hard to see in the evening sun)

2. The normal traffic light with the green light, orange light, and red light. (Most effective at getting cars to stop but leaves cars idling long after the pedestrian has left the street)

3. And this new system…

By: Sara

Sara — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 23:11:57 +0000

Well let’s hope this works. However, since in the quarter mile between Cole and Milwaukee, there are now (or will be) 6 (3 going each way) crosswalk/standards/flashing lights, who knows what will really happen. Note, this doesn’t count the traffic lights at Cole and at Milwaukee.

Will pedestrians be safe? Will drivers get confused? Who knows?

By: Boise Whiskey Tango

Boise Whiskey Tango — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:20:06 +0000

The crosswalk problem has been tacitly acknowledged as severe by the City, County and State Governments. Witness the “Candlesticks” at the Crosswalk in front of Boise’s Public Works Department on State St., the Candlesticks and Orange Flags that where on the State St. Side of the Capitol (before construction), etc…

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Wanna know what REALLY works and doesn’t cost otherwise Law Abiding Taxpayers a Dime?

Brutal, Draconian Fines and prompt / immediate reporting to the Offender’s Insurance Carrier.

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I personally like how some European nations calculate Traffic fines according to a percentage of a person’s annual income.

“Equal Justice Under The Law” becomes much more of a reality and less of a quaint notion then.

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Naomi-

Red Arrow = No Turn until Green Arrow.

Red Light = Right on Red, after coming to a complete, full stop. And even then, only into the Right-Most (closest) Lane, yielding to traffic with the Green.

Left on Red? From a One-Way onto a One-Way, or From a Two-Way onto a One-Way after a complete, full stop. And then only into the the Left-Most (closest) Lane, yielding to traffic with the Green.

By: Naomi

Naomi — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:11:22 +0000

Given that I’m still confused when I see a right turn arrow that is displaying red – Can I turn right after stopping or do I have to wait until the arrow turns green if there is no sign restricting me otherwise? I’m sure the crosswalk lights will only confuse me further. I much prefer the system they have near the HS on Cloverdale where the sidewalk lines flash with little embedded lights.

By: Tallen

Tallen — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:45:26 +0000

I noticed that drivers always assume they have the right-of-way, injuring pedestrians that really did… especially when said drivers are on their cell phones. ;P